Scaffold bracing



March 11, 1952 s. BLACKBURN SCAFFOLD BRACING 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed March '7, 1950 March 11, 1952 s. BLACKBURN 2,538,905

SCAFFOLD BRACING Filed March 7, 1950 2 sHEETs-sHEET 12 Ili mind a) NVEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 SCAFFOLD BRACING Leroy S. Blackburn, Harmony, Pa., assignor to Universal Manufacturing Corp., Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Zelienople,

Application March7, 1950, Serial No. 148,142

This invention relates to detachable bracing by which the legs of scaifolds and the like are braced in upright position, and it relates more particularly to the prevention of accidental removal of the bracing. It is among the objects of this invention to provide bracing in which braces are automatical- 1y locked in position, in which the locking means operate by gravity, and in which the. locking means are pivotally mounted.

According to this invention, the vertical legs to be braced are provided with brackets projecte ing from their ides. Each bracket has lateral- 1y spaced side walls connected attheir outer ends by an end wall provided with a hole through it. A pivot pin extends through the hole, and a locking dog is rigidly mounted on the pin between the side walls of the bracket. The do hangs down between those walls and has lower corners normally spaced a short distance. from them. A removable brace extends between each pair of legs and is connected to the sides of the brackets thereon to brace the legs. The brace has at each end a vertical end member that extends down into the adjoining bracket along the inner surface of one of its side walls. The end member is provided with an upwardly facing surface beneath the adjacent lower corner of the dog to lock the brace in the bracket.

When it is desired to lift the brace from the bracket, the pin is turned manually to swing 6 Claims (Cl. 30440) welded to the legs near their upper and lower ends; The brackets that are supported by each end frame are in the plane of the frame. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, each bracket preferably is formed from a flat metal bar which has been bent to form parallel side walls 1 that are integrally connected at their outer ends by an end Wall 8. The inner ends of the side walls are welded to the side of the leg.

The braces 4 that are connected to these brackets may be formed from lengths of pipe 9 which have their end portions pinched together. Welded to each end of the pipe is an end member ID that extends down into the adjoining bracket along the inner surface of one 7 of its side walls. Preferably, each end member the dog away from the end member of. the

brace.

. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 i an isometric view of a section of a scaffold incorporating my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a leg and braces and showing the outer end of a bracket; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a leg and braces and bracket; Fig. 4 is a vertical section through a bracket, taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3, but showing the locking dog swung to one side; and Fig. 5 is an end view is formed by bending a narrow metal plate into inverted U-shape to provide parallel vertical walls spaced apart a distance only slightly greater than the thickness of a side wall of the brackets .With this construction the end member can be slipped down over a bracket side wall, which will therefore be straddled by the end member. This connection of the brace to the bracket prevents any material movement of the brace relative to the bracket in any direction except upward, and therefore'provides a fairly rigid bracing arrangement.

' In order to lockthe braces in the brackets, the end wall 8 of each bracket is provided near its top with a hole l2 extending through it. R'otatably mounted in this hole is a pivot pin IS, on the inner end of which the upper end of a locking dog I is rigidly mounted. The dog extends down the inner surface of the ends walls of the bracket and thus hangs between side walls 7. The pin can be locked in the bracket hole by bending the outer end portion of the pin downward along the outer surface of the end wall. This depending portion of the pin also serves asa handle for turning the pin. It also adds its weight to that of the dog to insure that the dog will hang straight down from the pin. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the opposite lower corners of the dog are each spaced a short distance from the adjacent side wall of the bracket. This distance is less than the thickness of the wall of the brace. end member ii] which extends downinto thebracket, but it is not less than half the thickness of that wall for a reason that soon willbecome apparent. The lower end of the dog therefore is wide enough for it lower corners to extend part way across upwardly facing surfaces It (Figs. 4 and 5), with which I the end, members inside the bracket are pro vided. Consequently, as long as the dog overlies those surfaces, as shown in Fig. 2, the braces cannot be lifted from the bracket. The surfaces i6 can be formed in different ways, such as by having the lower ends of end members It] project laterally under the dog or by providing the end members with recesses or with notches in their edges. The end members in the drawings are provided with notches I! in their opposite edges. The lower walls of the notches are substantially horizontal and form the uD-- wardly facing surfaces It which the lower cornersv of the dog overlie. By notching both edges of each end member, either brace can be attached to either side of the bracket.

As indicated above, and as shown in Fig. 2, gravity normally will hold the locking dog: in centered position, with its lower corners projecting into the notches H in the end members of the adjacent braces. This prevents accidental removal of the braces. fromthebrackets; When it is desired to disconnect the braces from: the brackets, the. handle portion of the pivot pin. i3: isswung to either side to swing, one of thelowcr corner of the dog: out. of the notch: into-which itswasprojecting, as shown. in Fig. 4. Thisallows one of the braces to be. lifted from the bracket. The pivot pin thenis swung in; the opposite direction to remoyethe other corner of the.

dog from the notch in the other brace. so. that that bracelikewise can be lifted from. the bracket. The distance between each lower corner; of the dog andthe adjacent sidewall of the bracket.

has tov be atleast asgreat ashalf thethi'cknessof an end member so that. the dog can be swung far enough. to either side to. remove itfrom the notches. The. upper portion. of the. dog. is reduced: in width to prevent it from striking: end

members It and stopping the movement of the dog before its lower corners are withdrawn from the notches. The sides l8 (Fig. i). of" the dog directly above its. lower corner preferably converge upwardly so that when a brace end member is inserted in the bracket it will engage one of these inclined surfaces and swing the dog toward the opposite side of thebracket until the dog can swing back by gravity into. the notch with which that end member is provided. The same thing happens when theother brace is connected to the bracket.

It will thus be. seen that by the use of this bracing the braces arelocked in. position automatically when connected to the brackets, and can only be removed from the brackets by manually swi ing h locki g dogs: sideways. The

locking mechanism; operates, by gravity,.it.is of' simple construction and the-re is. nothing about it toget out of order.

According to the: Provisions of. the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and havel' illustrated. and described what I now consider to represent its bestembodiinent. However,v I=desire to have itxunderstood that,v within the scope of the appended claims.

ly mounted on thepin between said; sidewalls I and hanging down between them, the-dog. having lower corners adjacent said side walls but, normally spaced therefrom, and removable braces extending in opposite directions from the sides of the bracket, each brace having a vertical end member extending down into the bracket along the inner surface of one of its side walls, said end member being provided with an upwardly facing surface beneaththe adjacent lower corner of the dog to lock the brace in the bracket, and said-pin being adapted to be turned manually to swing the dog away from said end member so that the: brace can be lifted from the bracket.

2. The combination with a vertical leg, of bracing comprising a bracket projecting from the "'"T side of the leg and having laterally spaced side walls connected at their outer ends by an end wallprovided with. a hole through it, a pivot pin extending through said hole, a locking dog rigid- 1y mounted on the pin between said side walls 1 and hanging down between them, the dog having lower corners adjacent saidside walls butinormally spaced therefrom, and removable braces extending in opposite directions from the sides of the bracket, each brace having a vertical end member extending down into the bracket along the'inner surface of one of its side walls, said end member being provided: with an upwardly facing surface beneath the adjacent' lower corner of the dog to lock the brace in the bracket, and said pin 3 being adapted to beturned manually toswingthe dog away from said endmember, the portion of the dog: above its lower corners being narrower so thatwhen the dog isswung away from said end member there will be enough space above said surface betweenfthe dog and the adjacent side wall of the bracket to-permit. said'end member'to be lifted fronr the bracket.

3. The combination with a vertical leg,.of'braca ingcomprising a bracket projecting from theside of the-legand having laterally spaced side walls connected at their outer-ends by anZend-wall provided with a hole through it, a; pivot. pin.

intoathe bracket along the inner surface of'one of. its. side walls, said end member being provided with an upwardly facing. surface beneath the adjacent lower corner of the dog to lock-the brace in the bracket, and said pin handle being adaptedto be swungmanually to the side to swing the dog away from said end-member so that the brace can be lifted. from the bracket.

.4'. Thecombination with a vertical leg, of'brac- 1 ing comprising a: bracket. projecting from the side of the leg and having laterally spaced side walls. connected at their outer ends by an end Wall provided: with a hole through it, a pivotpin extending through said: hole, a locking dog rigidly mounted on thepin between said. side walls and hanging down between. them, the dog having lowerv corners. adjacent said side walls but normally spaced therefrom; the portion of. the dog directly above said corners being tapered upward to provide. inclined sides, and I removable bracesextending in. oppositedirections fromthe sides: of; the: bracket, each brace having a 'ver tical end member extending down into the bracket along the inner surface of one of its side walls, the edge of said end member adjacent the dog being provided with a portion projectin beneath the adjacent lower corner of the dog to lock the brace in the bracket, and said pin being adapted to be turned manually to swing the dog away from said end member portion so that the brace can be lifted from the bracket.

5. The combination with a vertical leg, of bracing comprising a bracket projecting from the side of the leg and having laterally spaced side walls connected at their outer ends by an end wall provided with a hole through it, a pivot pin extending through said hole, a locking dog rigidly mounted on the pin between said side walls and hanging down between them, the dog having lower corners adjacent said side walls but normally spaced therefrom, and removable braces extending in opposite directions from the sides of the bracket, each brace having a vertical end member extending down into the bracket along the inner surface of one of its side walls, the edge of said end member adjacent the dog being provided with a notch receiving the adjacent corner of the dog to lock the brace in the bracket, and said pin being adapted to be turned manually to withdraw the dog from said notch so that the brace can be lifted from the bracket.

6. The combination with a vertical leg, of bracing comprising a bracket projecting from the side of the leg and having laterally spaced side walls connected at their outer ends by an end wall provided with a hole through it, a pivot pin extending through said hole, a locking dog rigidly mounted on the pin between said side walls and hanging down between them, the dog having lower corners adjacent said side walls but normally spaced therefrom, and removable braces extending in opposite directions from the sides of the bracket, each brace including an inverted U-shape member straddling a side wall of the bracket, the portion of said member inside the bracket being provided with an upwardly facing surface beneath the adjacent lower corner of the dog to lock the brace in the bracket, and said pin being adapted to be turned manually to swing the dog away from said surface so that the brace can be lifted from the bracket.

LEROY S. BLACKBURN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,537,779 OBrien May 12, 1925 2,483,862 Weisz Oct. 4, 1949 

